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Don’t Expect A Barber Return To Cornerback

February 14th, 2013

Bucs fans experienced a rare happening last season, one that’s only happened a small handful of times in NFL history.

Longtime and should-be Hall of Famer Ronde Barber, who if he returns to the Bucs this season will be play in his 17th NFL campaign, all with the Bucs, was moved to safety and performed well and damned near made the Pro Bowl at age 37.

Not too many guys playing a new position at 37 make the Pro Bowl. It was a fabulous feat for a guy who is (was?) in the twilight of his career.

No one knows if Barber will play one more year. By now, Joe is guessing Bucs coach Greg Schiano and Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik have already had brief, casual conversations with Barber about what the near future holds for him.

If he returns, Tampa Tribune Bucs beat writer Woody Cummings suggests it won’t be at cornerback, so he explained in a TBO Bucs Q&A.

Q: Is there any chance Ronde Barber moves back to corner, if, say, the Bucs decide to take a safety in the first round? It would be killing two birds with one stone.

Sam Massey, Edgewood, NM

A: Such a move might make some sense, but if the Bucs really wanted to do that I have to believe they would have done it a year ago when their depth at corner was so compromised. The Bucs believe the Barber-to-safety experiment worked very well for them last year, so I’m going to say at this point that he’ll remain a safety playing primarily in the box.

– Woody Cummings

Cummings makes a great point Joe’s made previously. As horrid as the Bucs were at cornerback last year, pulling guys off the street when the Adderall twins, Eric Wright and the Mel Blount of our time, Aqib Talib, were unavailable, the Bucs could have moved Barber back to corner and probably have gotten solid play from him and Ahmad Black at free safety. But the Bucs did not do that.

So if the Bucs wouldn’t move Barber back to corner when they were desperate for bodies, why would they when the Bucs surely will have an upgraded cornerback stable in 2013?

Joe also found it interesting last year that corners walking the streets got playing time at ahead of three-year Bucs cornerback Myron Lewis.

10 Responses to “Don’t Expect A Barber Return To Cornerback”

Myron Lewis lost me 2 years ago when his “Diva” attitude Tweeted this during a PreSeason Game Police Escort to Redskins Stadium. ………”This has to be the worst police escort ever!” <—- are YOU serious dude?

I hope I’m proven wrong but mark my words if Lewis doesn’t get cut this season” n let’s not say that’s farfetched I mean in my eyes yea but Dom’s obviously not” he will b our startin fs he has the length n speed to play that single high roaming saftey we need it all depends on if he’s physical n durable enough to put n 16 games….16 productive efficient games

If we bring in a few good quality CBs, be it FA and the draft, this will be M. Lewis’s last camp with the Bucs. Unless he has a miraculous camp and preseason there is going to be too much competition to overcome.

@ BucNasty, that would make n sense. Even if Barber didn’t play Lewis would never start before A.Black or K.Tandy or any other saftey on our roster. Why would the team move him to a new position when he can’t even play the one he has.

@ shipwrecked barber is gone this year he’s my hero as well so don’t get it confused but he’s gonna retire n I’d say he wil man the switch for the same reason y he’s employed n can’t play that spot he’a still here for a reason an it’s not cb. Me personally I say cut him I’d love to have Goldson at free safty an grab some corners accordingly just my thoughts though

I love barber but wouldn’t u want a upgrade someone who truly has range a Ed Reed type safety or do we have to continue watching as u say isn’t athletic enough to play corner anymore not be able to play fs the way schiano truly wants? When the corners are high n dry on there island they gotta have atleast some sort of feeling like they got somebody over the top n the undersides vet just doesn’t fit that bill as much as a Dashon Goldson, keeny vaccarrio, or a jaryus bryd.

If and when Barber leaves, I know we need saftey depth, but I don’t see why no one thinks Ahmad Black couldn’t start. He’s smaller but in his limited role has shown signs that he can handle the spot. He has my support to be standing side by side with Barron. He’s only coming into his third year and with more playing time can only get better. @ BucNasty…Imo I would say Lewis is still on the roster because 1. If we lost any more corners last season as bad as he is, he knows the system, 2. Dom drafted him in the 3rd and wasn’t ready to admit he was/is a busted pick…..There is no reason to keep him this season.